The Thing of the Day

Lyrical Friday

2013-12-06T23:58:00.001-05:00

Since I have stopped posting regularly here on "The Thing," a band known as Rend Collective Experiment has grown in popularity. In fact, I have learned of who they are, and seen them perform at least three times. I think they're pretty awesome! They are all about worshiping our Lord and Savior, and proclaiming the Gospel through song. Something I like the most about them is that following the pattern of John the Baptist in trying to make less of themselves, and more of Christ. If you're up to it, click on the video to listen to the song, and check out the lyrics which I have posted below. . .

In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

In the silence, You won't let go
In the questions, Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

Chorus:
My Lighthouse, My lighthouse
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You
My Lighthouse, My Lighthouse
I will trust the promise, You will carry me safe to shore

Safe to Shore

Safe to Shore

I won't fear what tomorrow brings
With each morning I'll rise and sing
My God's love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

Chorus

Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storm

Lighthouses are obviously not near as popular today as they were in days of yore. But, the idea of the safety they provided to ships on the water can be easily comprehended. Let's think about God as being our lighthouse for just a brief moment - A lighthouse provides light, it marks dangerous coastlines, and illuminates entries to safe harbors.

1 - LIGHT - In a sinful and dying world, people are stumbling about in the darkness. Not only can they not see where they're going, but they are lost, and wandering aimlessly. Just as the lighthouse enables vision for the captain of a ship, the light of Jesus Christ shines into a dark life, giving it purpose and understanding. Jesus is our light!

2. DANGEROUS COASTLINES - When we allow the truth of Christ to reign in our hearts, we are made new. Through the Spirit's indwelling direction in our lives, and the Bible which is God's message to us on the earth, we are able to know when we're living in harmony with God, or in opposition toward Him. As Satan tempts us to navigate toward "dangerous coastlines," the light from our Lighthouse can help us to see where not to take our course.

3. SAFE HARBOR - When we're traveling through the storms of live, on a rocky sea, we need help making it to the harbor where we'll be safe. Again, God, our lighthouse shines bright, through the murkiness. And not only does He lead us there, but He is the harbor as well. There is no place safer than in the grace of the boundless love of our Lord.

Posted by Ben ><>

Forgetful

2013-03-30T13:48:00.001-04:00

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." --1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Well, it's been basically a year and a half since we've posted anything here at "The Thing." So, it's about time to write! I haven't written in so long partly because of being so busy, but also because I didn't have internet access at home for a really long time too. I've got it again, and maybe, just maybe I'll start writing regularly again? Probably not six days a week, but maybe "regularly." (Once a year is regularly, right?) Haha... On to today's post!

I've been thinking about how forgetful we can get sometimes. I don't mean like forgetting the code when you enter the butcher shop (that does happen sometimes though, and I feel like such a DOOF when I can't remember the right numbers, haha). I also don't mean like when you go to a room in your house to get something, and stop in your tracks because you suddenly have no idea what you were going for in the first place... I'm sure that NEVER happens to you, right?

No, I'm talking about how easy it is for us to forget the basics. I'm talking about how simple it is for us to become distracted so much with life, and life when it gets personal, that we suddenly act like we're not set apart for the Gospel... that we're just like anyone else living in the world who doesn't know about Christ, about God, or about His great love for us... and mostly, that He's just a prayer away.

I have two examples of this going on. One of them is the whole supreme court trials and people's responses to them about the "equality in marriage" situation. I have a friend who posted something on Facebook about how it's interesting that so much is going on with the homosexual marriage debate during the week of Easter. While I believe the scriptures tell us that God intended marriage to be between a man and a woman (even Christ talked about this in Matthew 19 when questioned about divorce, quoting Genesis) it is intriguing that all of this heated debate, with many changes of Facebook profile pictures, have taken place during the week that we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It's intriguing because frankly, in the whole debate, we have forgotten about Easter. I don't know if it's happened to you, but I can admit that during the week, I've probably thought more about that, and certainly heard more about it in the news than I have thought about the saving work of Christ on the cross for my (and all of humanity's) sins. Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that the week of Easter is the only time to celebrate this. I would never say that, because it's quite silly to think about celebrating our salvation just once a year. It shouldn't be a one week or one day a year thing. It should be written on our hearts, overflowing for all to see. Those in our lives should notice that there's something different about us - because we have a great joy. We were lost, and are now found. We were blind, and can see. We were headed to death, but we have received LIFE. This should cause such happiness in our souls that we can't keep it in... not only during "Holy Week," but during the other 51 weeks of the year. However, I do believe that this week, we have been distracted.

The second example of forgetfulness that I know at least I often fall into is forgetting to pray. This slammed me in the face last night. I was talking with a family member of mine who's going through an issue. This issue has been going on for a while, and I suppose it's slowly getting a little worse. I can tell my family member is really frustrated about it, but sometimes jokes about it a bit. I don't like that this problem exists. I'm sure my family feels the same way, as this person is having some difficulties and we don't like seeing it. But, in all of this time, I can tell you I have not prayed about it even once. As we were talking about it last night, the Lord led me to tell the person that I'd pray about it. They said that they didn't know if that would help, but I told my kin that God can do it! Can you believe that I've never thought about praying about it? In fact, I simply just forgot that I could... that God does care, and that God can do it?

So, last night, and this morning, I prayed that God would help the situation. I don't know that He will. But I do know that He can. I have faith that He can. And I know it would greatly encourage this person as they go through their day to day activities. Has this happened to you? Have you had something going on in your life, and you've thought about it, and even talked about it a lot with other family, and just never prayed about it? We've got a direct line to the Creator of the universe. Why not use it?

I hope that you have a great Easter celebration tomorrow. It truly is a day to celebrate! I pray that you don't forget to have Easter on your heart all year long. I pray too that as you go about life, that you remember that prayer is yours... you can use it whenever, and for whoever - even yourself! Happy Easter my friends... He is ALIVE!!!

Posted by Ben ><>

Guest Post: Larry Dentler (Wednesday's Word)

2011-10-06T00:20:00.000-04:00

I'd like to share a devotional that I came across today on Facebook, which was shared by Larry Dentler. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Great lessons learned!

Bermudian Church of the Brethren

WEDNESDAY’s WORD – a midweek thought from Pastor Larry M. Dentler

to share a word of inspiration … encouragement … challenge … a smile … in the middle of your week

October 5, 2011 – #439

OUCH!

I have a “stumper” for you today!

Why would anyone dump a cup of scalding hot water on their head?

That’s what I did yesterday.

No … not because I’ve finally gone off the deep end.

No … not because the stress was getting to me.

No … not because I was hungry for attention.

Give up? OK … let me explain how this bizarre moment happened. It was a beautiful sun shining morning! The sun felt so good. First day in a while with sun shining. It lifted my spirits! I had a full, busy day planned as I came to the office, but was looking forward to the work. A cup of hot tea sounded just perfect as I began my work. I heated the tea water. Bubbly … boiling hot. Placed the hot cup on my desk on my cup warmer. Put in the tea bag – a new licorice-spice flavor I was anxious to try. Three sugar cubes from the glass jar on my desk. Opps! Dropped one of the sugar cubes and it rolled under my desk. No problem … I got down on my hands and knees to retrieve the run away cube. I’m not sure exactly what happened next? Maybe I bumped the desk. Or maybe I rubbed against the cord of the cup warmer. But the cup of scalding hot water came off the desk and over my head. OUCH!

I knew right away I was burned and needed to cool the area so I got cold wet paper towels and began to try to cool my head and ear. As the moments went on I knew I had a serious burn. I couldn’t stop the burning. Since I was in the church alone I began considering my options. I finally decided I just better call 911 and ask the ambulance to come. When the ambulance crew came they wanted to take me to the hospital. They said I had second degree burn open areas on my ear and first degree burn on my scalp. I told them I didn’t really want to go to the hospital if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. They said if not to the hospital then I needed to be seen by my family doctor immediately.

By this time Judy Jarvis & Barb Stern arrived at the church … gotta love those scanners! My Sisters took me to see my doctor who got me in right away. The ear was bandaged and antibiotic burn cream and a precautionary antibiotic were prescribed. Before too long I was back at the church and ready to FINALLY get to work. I never did get to try my new licorice-spice tea!

Later after all the days activities my “in-home” nurse took good care of me helping me clean up and re-bandage the ear. She found another open area of burn on my scalp. I slept fine, not in too much pain, and other than feeling REALLY DUMB, and looking a little silly with my Dumbo-like ear, I’m fine today!

How do you explain … simply … how this happened? “Oh, I just happened to dump a cup of hot tea water over my head!”

But as I replay the events, it is easy to imagine a much more serious outcome. What if the boiling water had hit my face, my eyes, or gone into my ear? Perhaps an angel shielded me from a more serious burn. Thank You Lord, I know this little, dumb accident could have been much worse.

“For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence Him.”

Psalm 34:7 LB

I wonder sometimes … if we are very unaware of a thousand interventions by our God on our behalf everyday? I’ve come to believe that there are very few coincidences in life. As you rush through your day today … pause … say a little “thank you” prayer for the way your Lord watches over you in so many ways each moment, each hour, each day – in many ways you may never fully know!

Burning for the Lord! Pastor Larry <><

STAND FIRM 2011

Lessons from the Refrigerator, Part II

2011-09-29T19:53:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, in part one of learning a lesson from the fridge, I talked about how my food supply won't grow unless I actually take action to make that happen. In the same way, we need to take action to grow in our faith.

Today, I'm going to switch gears from stocking the fridge, to cleaning it. Because, let's face it - My refrigerator is dirty and needs cleaned up a bit. It's not as bad as the one pictured here, but my vegetable chill drawers are a bit icky, and there's some water that needs wiped up, and it really just needs a good cleansing.

But... I hate my sink. My sink only has one hole, and therefore, I can't fill up one side with soap, and have the other side to rinse. (I plan on installing a different sink sometime!) Therefore, when trying to wash something in the sink, I usually make a mess all over the counter. Sometimes it seems like in the process of making something clean, I make a lot of other stuff messy. And so, I struggle to find the motivation to clean the refrigerator, as silly as that sounds.

I think the same is true when it comes to living our faith out for real. If we start taking action in order to grow closer to God, in order for our faith to grow, in order to share the Gospel, sometimes we may encounter situations that aren't really easy. We need to trust however that God can help us through these difficult tasks, and know that even though something might not be easy, it's still worth it if it's glorifying Him. I think of Philippians 3:13-14 - "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Paul recognized that life may not always go smoothly - especially in living out a sold out life for Christ. However, he knew that being a believer would take determination, and an attitude to press forward, toward the goal... And our goal? Eternal life with Christ! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reminds us that our troubles on earth are LIGHT and MOMENTARY when compared with the eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So... whatever God's calling you to do might seem difficult - it may be hard for you to get the motivation to accomplish. But... press on, knowing that God will guide you through it... and that a difficult task is well worth it in the end.

-----------------------------------------------------------

... and here's some JACK!!!

"I bet the sparrow looks at the parrot and thinks, yes, you can talk, but listen to yourself!"

--Jack Handey, www.jackhandey.com

Posted by Ben ><>

Lessons from the Refrigerator, Part I

2011-09-28T15:00:00.002-04:00

I haven't gone grocery shopping in quite some time. In fact, I honestly can't remember the last time I went. When I do go, I buy a decent amount of stuff, that should last me for a little while. However... it's been more than a "little while" since I've gone, and I have to say, my food supply is pretty low.

So, I don't have much food. It's never an urgent issue because it's not like I'm starving or anything. Plus, there's nights that my grandma invites me over for supper, or I'm simply not even hungry because of eating a big lunch, or things like that. However, lately I have been home for my suppers, and I truly am exhausting what's left of my food supply. The funny part about this however, is that for some reason, I think my food supply will grow, even without going shopping for more food!

I get home, and I think to myself, "I should eat something." So, I open the fridge, scan my cupboards, and you know what? There's nothing more there than there was the day before when I did the same thing! It's as if I think little elves will stock my shelves and my refrigerator while I'm at work, and I'll suddenly be supplied with plenty to eat. But... it never happens... The refrigerator is still empty, the freezer still has the same items that were in there the day before (you can only eat ravioli so many days in a row). There's no more macaroni in the cupboard, and the three ounces of cereal left in the box are still stale. Oh... and the snack cupboard? Well, that was exhausted months ago!

Now isn't that interesting - in order for my food supply to go back up, in order for me to have something to make for supper, I need to take an action. I need to buy some food! (of course, that's costs money, and I don't like spending money either, haha) Our faith walk truly isn't much different. Here's some words of the apostle Paul to the church at Corinth -

"Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?" --1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Paul reminded the people that they were still "infants in Christ," still feeding on milk and not solid food. In the proper context, they were fighting about who they should follow (Paul or Apollos), getting caught up in things that didn't really matter. They were losing sight of what, rather, WHO mattered, being Jesus Christ and His gospel. The bottom line is that they were not growing in their faith. They were stuck as infants, not maturing, not walking toward Christ, but rather spinning their wheels in the mud as things of the world continued to keep them stuck in the mud.

Have you ever thought to yourself, "Man, I wish I were more faithful," or "I wish I could follow Jesus more closely." Maybe you've said, "I wish I knew my Bible better," or, "I wish I would pray more." These are all good things to desire - but, if they never grow out of desire into action, nothing is going to happen. In the same way my fridge and cupboards will stay bare if I never purchase anything to put into them, our hearts won't grow closer to Christ if we make no effort to do so. Don't get me wrong - we're not saved by our actions (we're saved ONLY by the grace of Christ, bleeding on the cross in our place). However, if we want to get past the start, and live a life that's fully His, we're going to have to work at it. We can't know our Bible if we don't get into it. Praying will not become more natural and easy to us if we never pray. We as humans love to compare ourselves with others. There's probably a person that you're thinking of who is like the "super-star Christian" that you'll never be like - well, stop thinking that way, because you can be a "super-star" too. Of course, I don't mean to act like a Christian, and appear to be a super-star - I mean think about the grace given to us, and live in thankfulness of that grace, with a desire to share it with others, and all of this stuff will come naturally. You can't get to know God better if you don't try.

So, my empty refrigerator reminds me of how empty my heart is sometimes. But, my heart will not grow closer to God if I don't do anything about it. Read. Talk to God. Live less for you and more for Him. It will come. You'll soon be eating solid food, actually living the life that displays thankfulness for His grace. But, you have to get up and move. Let's do it!

Posted by Ben ><>

I'm Alive... Are You?

2011-09-26T23:59:00.000-04:00

"Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD."

--Psalm 150

I had one of those moments again today. One of those moments when I remember - I should be dead. Maybe the use of "should" ought to be replaced with "could" because I know that God still wants me to be alive on earth. I was taking a shower after my softball game tonight, thinking about how badly we got walloped, and for some reason, I thought about the crash I was in, with three of my com-padres, back in late June. I relived it for a moment, and I remembered the rolling, the crashing sounds, the helpless out of control feeling, and the end of the crash... At the end of the crash, there was silence. I knew I was alive, but was everyone else? It didn't take long until I heard noises from each person, and somehow we survived. (I know it was God's protection.) But, I thought about it tonight. I thought about what we went through... I thought about what the truck looked like after the crash. (The picture above makes my truck look like a convertible - but it's actually just that the roof is smashed down) I remembered - I am LUCKY to be alive. I am BLESSED to be breathing. God STILL WANTS ME ON EARTH.

Have you ever gone through a near death experience? Perhaps you can relate? While my injuries were minor, and I never actually felt like I was going to die (because I wasn't hurt badly), I now live with the memory of the accident... and I remember that I should be dead. Any one of us could have died in the accident, but all four of us walked away from it. We are alive. We are not dead.

What does this mean? Well, for one thing, as we can learn from today's text from Psalm 150 - if we have breath, we should be praising the Lord! And how do we praise the Lord? How do we reflect His glory, His honor, His majesty, His supremacy, His awesomeness? Well - the easy answer is to say that we live for Him. That's a simple thought - with some heavy implications... Because there are billions of distractions that pull us away from that easy answer. Financial strife, lack of a spouse, death of loved ones, getting your butt kicked in a softball game... Those are just a few. So, as I washed the dirt off of my arms, hanging my head in defeat - God reminded me that it really didn't matter. Because - I AM ALIVE. And what on earth am I doing for Christ's sake? What are you doing?

If you're reading this, I assume you're alive. Does your life sing praise to God? Does proclaiming the Gospel, and reaching the lost guide your everyday decisions? Or are you living life for yourself - lost in the distractions the world has to offer? If you're alive - which I assume you are - then it's time to remember that it's a blessing. God still wants you on earth. For His glory. For His purpose. I was talking with one of the guys who was in the accident about it this weekend. We again came to the conclusion that it definitely happened for a reason. I still am exploring all the reasons that it happened - but one, I know with all my heart. I am ALIVE. I am alive because of Him. My life is a blessing - and I choose to give it to Him.

Posted by Ben ><>

I Must Decrease

2011-09-23T14:18:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I decided to start reading the devotional entitled, Breakfast with Jesus by Greg Laurie. The concept behind the title is that you, as the reader, focus on spending quality time just getting to know Jesus. Simply Jesus.

I love how in the introduction, Greg Laurie makes it clear that this is not about grasping a physical understanding of Jesus. As fickle humans, we tend to allow the outward appearance become our main focus of not only others, but of ourselves as well. Yet, he points out that John, the beloved disciple, spent hours and upon hours with Jesus but never once brought Jesus' appearance to the forefront of his description of who Jesus was. He, as well as the other disciples, were focusing on getting to know the real Jesus and not simply looking to see if His clothes or overall looks were meeting the latest fashion trends of the day.

I love this concept of seeing beyond physical appearance to the person within. I know many times I am more generous towards others with that concept than I am with myself. In my church growing up, there was an older couple in our congregation who would make it a point to smile and say, "I see Christ in you today." That phrase stuck with me and made me reexamine how often I look past the physical appearance of others and see the person within. It was a reminder to look for Christ in other people, while placing a challenge within myself to make sure others are seeing Christ in me, as often as possible.

Placing Jesus as the focus of the devotional, Laurie points out a key verse to help us understand how to hear and learn from the person of Jesus in Revelation 3:20. "If anyone hearts My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." This is the premise for first section entitled, "The Person of Jesus".

In his first chapter, He Must Increase, he focuses on John the Baptist and his unique mission as the prophet finally sent by God after four hundred some years of silence. John could have used this high position to attract attention to himself but as Laurie put it, "John had no desire to toot his own horn."

It was this part in the devotional that stuck with me all day. Throughout the day, I kept coming back to what Greg Laurie stated as being John's motto for his life, which was "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30) And I had to ask myself, "Is this clearly the motto for my life?"

If there was ever an example of humility, there it was! John displayed humility by putting himself in the correct order behind Jesus and realizing that His role was to prepare the way for Christ and not to promote himself. Without a doubt, for John, it was all about Jesus. And what did Jesus say of this humble servant? "I say to you," Jesus declared, "among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist" (Luke 7:28). Wow! What an honor! This puts me in mind of whenever Jesus later said, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)

John, who cared very little about physical appearance, knew what was really important, which was simply, Jesus. The goal of knowing Christ and making Him known was his life's ambition. Is it truly mine? Is it yours?
Allow me to close by stating John's motto again...

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

What about you? Has this become your motto?

If no, why not?

If yes, what does it look like in your daily living?

Prayer Stretch

2011-09-21T16:09:00.001-04:00

If you didn't know, back toward the end of June, I was involved in a pretty serious automobile accident. In a complete act of God, myself, and the three others with me were spared not only our lives, but also received practically no injuries. Pretty awesome.

I have to admit though, my back has not been the same since the accident. I waited for a few weeks, because I figured the pain would subside. However, it didn't, and so I finally went to a doctor to see what the troubles might be. He did some neck cracking/back cracking type things, but it didn't really help. The doctor finally concluded that my injury was more soft tissue/muscle damage, which he said sometimes takes longer to heal than bone damage. So, he prescribed some physical therapy for me.

It's been an interesting experience so far, as the kind therapists I'm dealing with are teaching me stretches that I've never done before. Overall, it's a slow process, but my back is feeling better. One of the stretches that they make me do though is called the "prayer stretch." I think it's kind of funny because for one thing, I wonder how many people pray anymore (like what percent of the world's population designates a time to pray, and does it.) And even though I estimate that a small percentage of people pray, this stretch is still called the prayer stretch. In fact, one therapist said to me the other day something about bowing toward Mecca to stretch. So... people recognize that the position the body is in during this stretch does kind of seem like a "prayer position."

At physical therapy today, I thought about this... and how why don't I pray while doing this stretch? After all, there's not much else to do while stretching! Also, I think of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 where Paul urges us to "pray continually." So... we really have chances to pray during most of our daily activities - if not all of them.

Do I take advantage of them? I'll admit that I don't. I'll admit that my prayer life can be pretty poor at times (presently included!). So, it's time to get on the ball... And this prayer stretch reminded me of that. There's something else to be noted about the prayer stretch I think. Go to Bible Gateway and do a search on the word "prostrate." Dictionary.com defines "prostrate" throwing oneself down, flat to the ground, face down, in humility and submission. There were many occurrences in the Bible of people going prostrate before God, in their communication with Him. I like this about the "prayer stretch" position. It's a humbling position (especially in a room full of people)! The prayer stretch doesn't take it far enough though as far as the definition of "prostrate" is concerned... To throw oneself down, face down, flat on the ground shows respect to God. It shows that we know our place compared to Him. I wonder how many of us show Him that anymore. I know I don't.

I'm not telling you to go slam yourself down on the sidewalk, cracking some ribs in the process. But... have we forgotten to pray? Do we pray continually as the day marches on? And how do we pray? Do we say a five second prayer before woofing down our lunch, not even remembering if we prayed by the time we're done swallowing? Or, do we give God some time that is totally between us and Him - pointing to Him as our Creator, our Life, our Savior? As you go about your daily tasks, remember, God wants to talk to us. Show Him that we appreciate the chance we have to talk with Him. Pray continually. Keep in touch with the God of Israel who sent His son to die for our sins. He's there with an open ear.

Posted by Ben ><>

10 Years

2011-09-16T00:36:00.000-04:00

So, I'm a little late. I missed the ten-year anniversary of September 11th by a day or two. I apologize. But, nonetheless, it has been ten years since the insanity that took place in New York City, the Pentagon, and on Flight 93 that crashed into a field in Shanksville, PA. Can you believe it's been ten years? It's hard for me to believe that!

I remember when it all happened. I was in college. (I can't believe ten years ago I was in college!) I was in the beginning of my junior year. I was just going to an art class when someone started telling me about what happened. I looked a little bit at a television someone had set up so we could follow the news. I'll be honest with you, I really wasn't sure what the World Trade Center buildings were. I knew they were two really tall buildings, but I wasn't very familiar at all with them. At that point, only one plane had hit the buildings. I went to class, and nonchalantly told a class mate about it. "Did you hear about NYC? One of the trade centers had a plane hit it!" The guy was like, "What!?!?" and sprinted out to hear about the coverage of the story. I later learned he was from New York City. Long story short, the rest of the day at college ended up being watching TV's during class, and in between class all about what was going on. We had a special prayer service about the whole thing. And then were the moments at home (I was commuting). As soon as I'd get home from school, I'd sit down on the couch, glued to the previously powered up television set. Dan Rather talked to our living room a lot in those days. I kept watching. I couldn't stop. I was shocked at everything I'd hear. In the days after the attack, rescuers continued searching for bodies... and mostly only found body parts. How sad. How historic. How horrible. How insane! Where were you that day? What were you doing?

So, ten years have passed, and what has happened since then with our country? (Life truly was different on September 10th, 2001) We've been in wars, we've built up different defense systems, etc. etc. Sadam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden have been killed. Many lives have been lost. All of this has been the United States' attempt at revenge, and also an attempt to be proactive in keeping our country safe from any further attacks on our nation. I'm not promoting the killing of life... I'm just pointing out that our nation has truly changed in ten years. Not only does the government have different ideas, but the people of the country think differently - Life kind of seemed different before September 11th, 2001. Last Friday night, I watched a special all about that day... It was sad... and it reminded me that there were a lot of people that died that day, in some very sad ways.

Paul said in Romans 12:1-3... "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." When I think about 9/11 and how we as a nation, as a people will never be the same, I think about our walk with God as believers in Christ. Are we living different in this world than anyone else? Are we making choices that reflect a life dependent on Christ for salvation, repentant of sin? Is the music we listen to, the television we watch, the things we do when no one's looking transformed because of the sacrifice made for us? As believers in Christ, our minds should be transformed... Our thoughts should be renewed. Just as September 11th caused people to think different about the world around them, Christ's death on the cross (and our belief in it) shall create a life change in us that is permanent. Not because it's "good to do." Because a real God, came to a real earth. He lived as a real man, living the only perfect life, yet died a real death so that the death we deserve, we do not have to experience. If this doesn't cause us to live differently, nothing will.

Think about what Christ has done. Think about where you were (physically, mentally) when you learned about this. How have you changed since that day? Live differently. Live in the knowledge that He bled for you. For YOU! Praise the Lord!

Posted by Ben ><>

My Savior Died on a Tree...

2011-09-10T00:53:00.003-04:00

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 NIV

Christianity is full of paradoxes. The word "para" means beyond, and the word "dox" means belief. Therefore, a paradox is something that seems contradictory, or beyond belief, but in all reality, there is something to be learned from it. For example, dying is gaining. The last are first. In order to be strong, we must be weak. To save our lives, we must lose them. In trivial things lies greatness. In order to become mature, we must become children. And finally (especially appropriate for the Christmas season) in order to receive, we must give. There are more, but my brain can't come up with any more for now, plus I already had help by doing some researching. If you can think of some more, share them in the comments link. Anyway, in being a Christian, there are lots of things that don't seem to make sense, that actually shame the wisdom of the world. In 1 Corinthians 1, we read that the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom. This is so very true. There's a song by Tree63 that says what I'm trying to talk about, called "Foolish Things." Here are some random sections of verses to that song...

What wisdom hangs a man up on a tree
as the only way to end my misery?
A crooked journey down a straight and narrow path...
What wisdom puts a prophet in a desert place
nobody to hear a single word he says?
And what wisdom brings reward from suffering
where if I want to win I have to lose everything?

...The song goes on to say that we're living in God's foolishness. This is true as we realize that the foolishness of God is wiser than any wisdom that we will ever find in this world. Have you ever been made fun of because of your faith? I mean, Noah builds an ark, Jonah lives inside a fish, a donkey talks to Balaam, Daniel isn't eaten by lions, Jesus walks on water? I believe all of these things, and there are so many people that call them "fairy tales" or figurative stories and fables. It saddens me when I hear people saying that the Bible is full of stories and not truth, but my friends, it's the best source of Truth that we have. I don't know about you, but I don't care at all if I'm called a fool by the world. Jesus told his followers that the world will hate them, and although we're still doing pretty good in the United States as far as not being physically persecuted, that day might be coming. However, I don't ever want to be considered a fool by God. I want us to remember to hang onto the foolishness of God, and trust Him. Don't allow others to create Christ crucified as a stumbling block in your life; rather stand on that block, and allow it to proclaim the "foolishness" that saves you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...and here's some JACK!!!!

"One day one of my little nephews came up to me and asked me if the equator was a real line that went around the earth, or just an imaginary one. I had to laugh. Laugh and Laugh...Because I didn't know, and thought that maybe by laughing he would forget what he asked me."
---Jack Handey, www.jackhandey.com

Posted by: Ben
*Originally published December 8, 2007

Who are you?

2011-09-08T13:32:00.003-04:00

"The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are." ~Jim Morrison

A statement like that begs the question, "Who are we?"

Before reading furuther, right out a quick list (mentally or physically) that answers the question of "Who are you?"

Right out everything that you believe defines you as a person and reflects who you are as an individual.

Now, I invite you to click "Read More..."

Many times we like to define who we are. We come up with many definitions, all of which reflect what we see, feel, think and believe. All of which is coming through entirely our own perspective.

When was the last time you asked God who you were and set-aside any preconceived idea or notions as to what He might say?

It is tough for us to set-aside our perspective and based all of who we are on what God says, but that is exactly what He longs for us to do. To see ourselves through His eyes, completely and without question.

So can you do it? Can you lay aside every definition you have come up that has defined who you are and let it all go at the foot of the cross?

If you are unsure what that looks like, check out this awesome list (click here) that I found that was part of a website describing how we should perceive ourselves and thus, claim our identity in Christ.

Now, do me a favor. Go ahead and print that list. Not only will that be good for the following exercise but it would be a great reminder to have every day on your bathroom mirror.

Try this exercise: Go ahead and hold up the list you made earlier about yourself. Now, hold it up beside the list I told you to print out, and compare them.

Do you see any differences? Any similarities?

How can you bring your way of thinking more into line with the list from not only the website, but from the very Word of God?

I encourage you to re-visit those two lists every day. Constantly, evaluate how your perspective is shifting or changing and what is causing it to do so.

Daily making sure that your identity is not based on who you are

but on Whose you are.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me."

Galatians 2:20

P.S. Taken in this perspective, I definitely agree with the Jim Morrison quote:
"The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are." ~Jim Morrison

Life is Unfair!

2011-09-02T16:16:00.001-04:00

Do you ever feel like all your striving is in vain when it comes to living for God?

Do you ever feel like saying to God, "What's the point? Can't you see those other guys over there who are not even living for You and how blessed and successful they are? Why do bad things always happen to the good people?"

Do you ever feel like it's unfair when you are met with struggle upon struggle, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual and you think to yourself, "Ok God, I don't understand. I know that those other people who are healthy, spunky and seem like they don't have a care in the world have not chosen to imitate Christ in their life or to live for You in anyway... so what gives? Why do they get the blessing and I don't?'

If you find yourself relating to any or all of the above statements, then you may want to check out what the writer of Psalm 73 had to say when they were dealing with the same feelings. Also, I invite you to read my personal commentary/reflections below Psalm 73. (The emphasis added throughout the Psalm are my own and fit with the commentary)

¹ Surely God is good to Israel,
   to those who are pure in heart.
² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
   I had nearly lost my foothold.
³ For I envied the arrogant
   when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
⁴ They have no struggles;
   their bodies are healthy and strong.
⁵ They are free from common human burdens;
   they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
   they clothe themselves with violence.
⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
   their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
   with arrogance they threaten oppression.
⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
   and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
   and drink up waters in abundance.
¹¹ They say, “How would God know?
   Does the Most High know anything?”
¹² This is what the wicked are like—
   always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
¹³ Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
   and have washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ All day long I have been afflicted,
   and every morning brings new punishments.
¹⁵ If I had spoken out like that,
   I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this,
   it troubled me deeply
¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God;
   then I understood their final destiny.
¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;
   you cast them down to ruin.
¹⁹ How suddenly are they destroyed,
   completely swept away by terrors!
²⁰ They are like a dream when one awakes;
   when you arise, Lord,
   you will despise them as fantasies.
²¹ When my heart was grieved
   and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless and ignorant;
   I was a brute beast before you.
²³ Yet I am always with you;
   you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
   and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart
   and my portion forever.
²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
   you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
   I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
   I will tell of all your deeds.

My little commentary for while you are reading:

When you begin reading, I encourage you to pay attention to how verse 1 emulates the same kinds of feelings we had expressed above and how quickly a special realization sinks in for the writer (verses 2 and 3).

After that, the writer goes on to vent his frustration (And why not? God already knows what we are thinking...) and works himself through his finite understanding of the frustrating situation(s) around him. He expresses what all our hearts have probably cried at one time or another (verse 13). Finally, he gets to verse sixteen and the writer realizes they have been trying to understand all of this through their own understanding. What does God say in Proverbs 3:5,6? Doesn't He say to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Notice it was not until after the author realized they needed to enter into God's presence (verse 17) and set aside their own understanding that they were able to see with the eyes of heaven and no longer with the eyes of man. And it was after this epiphany that they were able to receive the peace they desperately longed for.

Now, verses 18-20 paint a sad picture, and one that should break our hearts on their behalf, because of what lies ahead for those who choose not to follow God. They are blinded by the earthly pleasures of this world and like we all do at times, they are not seeing life in the light of eternity.

However, the joy comes in the last several verses of the Psalm and are for those of us who do trust in God. Many times we like to think like the character in the cartoon at the beginning of this post, where we expect God to repay us for all our hard work. However, God blesses us with much more than that. He blesses us with a deep seeded joy that comes in knowing that when we were seen as "senseless and ignorant" before God, He still loved us and called us unto Himself. Reminding us that He is ever present and the source of all comfort and strength. ("But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8)

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

AMEN

Lyrical Thursday

2011-09-01T01:10:00.001-04:00

There are times along the journey that we come across songs that speak to our spirits and seemed to be exactly what we needed at the time. In the Valley by Sovereign Grace has been one of those songs for me in the recent months. I hope you are as blessed as I have been by the lyrics and enjoy listening to the song via the youtube video below.

Based on The Valley of Vision prayer (Puritan Prayer)

“The Valley of Vision”

Words and Music by Bob Kauflin

Verse 1
When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Chorus
Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

Verse 2
In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed

Prayer... when we feel like?! (Part 2)

2011-08-27T00:00:00.004-04:00

Part 2 of the Who, What, When, Where and Why of Prayer

The When and Where of prayer:

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (HCSB ) it asks us to "Pray constantly." That does not leave much room for not praying. This could be as often as breathing, which we also do constantly. You may be saying that you don't have that kind of "time commitment" but the good news is that prayer can be done anywhere and at anytime. 1 Timothy 2:8 asks for "men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing."

**It is important to note that we are to pray "without anger or disputing". Why? Because we need to remember that if we are living in anger or fighting with others, we most likely have not granted them forgiveness. Remember that when we do not forgive, how can God forgive us? Our unforgiveness and anger towards others hinders not only God forgiving us but also hearing our prayers. (Matthew 6:14,15; Mark 11:25)

^"If I hadcherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened."

Psalm 66:18

"but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear."

Isaiah 59:2

The Why of prayer:

The Good News: Through Jesus Christ, God's One and Only Son, He has made it possible for us to not only pray, but for God to be able to hear our prayers; once we have truly asked for forgiveness and seek repentance.

Why are we praying? First, we are praying in response to such a great sacrifice. We have come to understand it and are praying for others to do the same. We do this through following Christ's example of intercessory prayer (which He does constantly on our behalf) for others. Secondly, once we have given our lives to Christ, we have a new desire to spend all our time in the presence of such a Holy and Loving God. (Psalm 84)

*Scriptures are taken from the NIV unless otherwise indicated*

Pray...when we feel like it?! (Part 1)

2011-08-26T14:04:00.008-04:00

Wow! What a picture!

When I first saw this picture I was very moved. Nothing else comes close to emphasizing the importance of prayer in our lives than by looking to very One who demonstrates perfect intercessory prayer. Hebrews 7:23-25 (NLT) and Romans 8:34 state that our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, lives forever to intercede with God on our behalf and the picture above displays this in a very concrete and moving way.

What an extraordinary example we have in Jesus Christ, and as Christians we are to be asking ourselves on a daily basis, "What Would Jesus Do?" At times, we may feel unsure about what that looks like, but as always, the scripture can and should be our guide in answering this question.

Today, I want the question of "What Would Jesus Do?" focused on the Who, What, When, Where and Why of prayer. We will find our answers together, through God's wonderful Word.

The Who of prayer:

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

1 Timothy 2:1-6

The What of prayer:

The important thing to realize when you pray for others is that you do not need to make it eloquent or feel that you have to find the exact phrasing or words. As stated below, God knows what is in our hearts and He provides the Holy Spirit to pray for us and through us. The important thing is that we strive to keep a constant dialogue between ourselves and God and allow the Holy Spirit to pray for us and through us on a consistent basis.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God."

Romans 8:26,27

All throughout God's Word we are given guidance on what to pray for others, such as strength and knowledge of God's Word and love (Ephesians 3:16-19), wisdom and power (Ephesians 1:18-20), peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:9), boldness (Philemon 1:6), discernment (Philippians 1:9-11), and the list could go on and on.

(FYI: You can click on the words listed in the previous paragraph, in order to read the correlating scripture.)

It's important to note, as we see from these scriptures, we can look to how the writers of the New Testament would open and close their letters as an example for how we can pray for those around us.

STAY TUNED: Tomorrow I will be posting about the When, Where and Why of prayer!

*Scriptures are taken from the NIV unless otherwise indicated*

Hammer Holds

2011-08-25T00:50:00.002-04:00

This song is told from the point of view of the piece of steel that became one of the nails used to crucify Jesus. What an interesting thought and compelling song!

When I first heard this song I could not figure out what perspective it was coming from, but once I read what it was about, it took on a much deeper meaning. Here are my reflections from that song:

Like the piece of steel, we are shapeless and in need of "Thee" Blacksmith to

give us our ultimate form and final shape.

Like the piece of steel, we need others to pray, cry, and hurt with us and for us,

until we have reached our journeys end.

Like the piece of steel, we constantly search for the purpose and meaning in our lives.

Like the piece of steel, our sins are what held and even nailed Christ to that cross.

Like the piece of steel, the task before us may seem unclear,

but even that, our Maker holds.

Lyrics (by Bebo Norman):

A shapeless piece of steel, that's all I claim to be
This hammer pounds to give me form, this flame, it melts my dreams
I glow with fire and fury, as I'm twisted like a vine

My final shape, my final form I'm sure I'm bound to find

So dream a little, dream for me in hopes that I'll remain

And cry a little, cry for me so I can bear the flames
And hurt a little, hurt for me my future is untold
But my dreams are not the issue here, for they, the hammer holds

And the water, it cools me gray, and the hurt's subdued somehow
I have my shape, this sharpened point, what is my purpose now?

And the question still remains, what am I to be?
Perhaps some perfect piece of art displayed for all to see

So dream a little, dream for me in hopes that I'll remain
And cry a little, cry for me so I can bear the flames
And hurt a little, hurt for me my future is untold
But my dreams are not the issue here, for they, the hammer holds

The hammer pounds again, but flames I do not feel
This force that drives me, helplessly, through flesh, and wood reveals
A burn that burns much deeper, it's more than I can stand
The reason for my life was to take the life of a guiltless man

So dream a little, dream for me in hopes that I'll remain
And cry a little, cry for me so I can bear the pain
And hurt a little, hurt for me, my future is so bold
But my dreams are not the issue here, for they, the hammer holds

This task before me may seem unclear
But it, my maker holds

check out http://bebonorman.com/

What does Jesus look like?/"Speaking the truth in love"

2011-08-20T01:40:00.006-04:00

I came across this video and wanted to share it. It is somewhat long, as the description below says, but it is well worth watching. I am excited to share this with you and to see what your response is to the video. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment area below. The description is from this website:http://amokarts.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/responding-to-controversial-art-part-2/, where I originally saw the video.

"A few days ago I posted what I thought our response should be to controversial art. This video is the story of a young pastor who lived it out. It's a little long but watching it til the end will give you a real blessing. Please check this out and spread it around. This is a true image of what it means to speak the truth in love and the impact it can have in a world where love can be hard to find. It’s not my own work so I can ask this without hesitation or fear of self promotion… Please, please, please take this video viral.

We often talk about how to deal with people with whom we disagree. While others protested and attacked, this guy shared the Gospel and it made all the difference."

***check out (in the comment area below) the comments made about this post***

The Story of The Jesus Portrait from Resurrection Fellowship on Vimeo.

How Do I Look?

2011-08-19T02:39:00.004-04:00

Lately, I have been watching the show "How Do I Look?" on the style network. I seem to watch these kind of shows only randomly, but when I do, I can find them fascinating.

I mean, what's not exciting about the idea of someone given the opportunity to become a completely new person? We watch in awe, as if the very idea were unbelievable. We are awe-struck and sometimes brought to tears, as each participant marvels at the changes they see in themselves and exclaims, "I am completely transformed! I can't believe it!"

Now, don't get me wrong. I can see the psychological benefits to helping a person improve their self-image through uplifting them and drawing out their physical beauty. However, what bothers me is that the show (and others like it) tend to focus solely on only changing the outer layer of the person. It seems they believe that by doing this, they have somehow made the person not only whole, but completely and utterly brand new. This would be one of the reasons I can only watch this show every once in awhile. After while, the reality of how superficial it all is, becomes way to obvious and as my husband so aptly put while watching the show with me, "When will they get that there is more to life than material things?"

As I was listening to some of the participants state things like, "I am a completely new ... a transformed person", "I am never going to be the same again... I am never going back to my old ways..." I could not help but think about another, even deeper type of transformation. The one I'm talking about is referred to in Romans 12:2...

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

And what worries me is that we, all of us living here on this earth, are more apt to go for the change we see on TV shows like "How do I Look?' then pursue this deeper kind of life transformation, which is described in the scripture above. Take a moment to think, how similar are these two types of transformation? Can you find any similarities? My guess is, probably not.

Now, take a moment to look at the vast difference... starting with the beginning of verse 2, "And do not be conformed to this world...." If that is the case, should our focus be on material things, such as this show would have us believe? Or something much deeper?

What if we all took as much energy into transforming our minds, in order to be more Christ-like, as we did in transforming our physical appearance to match the most recent fads and expectations put upon us from our culture?

What if there was a TV show that stopped to ask the question "How Do I Look?" but didn't refer to physical appearance, but rather the at the heart of the matter, both literally and figuratively.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7

What if the host of the show was instead Jesus, and we stood and watched as He helped us throw out all those hideous, old, outdated and sinful clothing, which we should never have been wearing in the first place. We continue to watch, in amazement, as we see Him not pour out money, as the TV show would do, but instead pours out Himself as our payment, in order to replace all of our old wardrobe, which was heavily weighed down by sin, and He replaces it all with an amazing, life-transforming, beautiful robe of righteousness, which only He could give?

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Psalm 23:3

We all desire to be adored, appreciated, seen as beautiful, accepted and so much more, but when we seek for the restoration of our souls and ultimate fulfillment in all the wrong places, such as simply changing our physical appearance to please others or ourselves, we miss out on the ultimate gift, which is Jesus Christ himself.

ALL...

2011-08-15T19:25:00.000-04:00

"May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” --1 Kings 8:57-61

Yesterday, I had the privilege of preaching at my home church. It's actually a privilege to preach anywhere. If you know me well, you'll know that I'm not always the best at getting the sermon ready weeks in advance (ha), but I do take the job of preaching seriously. It's serious business, because we are in front of a group of people, talking to them about what the Bible says. In some senses, since the Bible is our main source, it's kind of easy. Most topics and whatnot are spelled out pretty clearly in scripture. So, it's an honor, and it sometimes can be kind of fun. Yeah, really!

All this to say that yesterday, we started a "King Series" at church. I did Solomon, next week is Ahab, then David, and then Josiah. We talked about how Solomon was indeed a "wise, foolish king." It sounds like an oxymoron, but it's true. The above text from 1 Kings 8 shows some of the words of Solomon as he dedicated the temple (in prayer, and sacrifice) that he had just built, for the altar of God. The part I want to focus on is the five letter "f-word" near the end of the passage, describing what level our hearts should be commmitted to God - FULLY.

It's ironic that Solomon, who prayed that the people of Israel would have hearts fully commited to God, would end compromising his heart's full committment to God. Perhaps it's more sad than ironic. As Solomon (as we read in 1 Kings 11) gained 700 wives, and 300 concubines (women who worshipped other gods), his heart was turned away from God. He was not fully devoted to God. And, his downfall transpired. If you've read through the books of the Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament, you know the pattern. There's a king - he's either committed to God, or not, and usually his level of committment to God also correlates with his success. As you read about all of the kings of Israel and Judah, it's easy to think, "What's wrong with these guys!!! Why can't they get it?"

I remember thinking that same thought about eight years ago - when I realized, I was just as dumb. How many times in my life do I let the same sin, or any sin for that matter, take me away from God? How many times do I willingly allow my heart to latch onto something that is NOT God, and moreover is quite contrary to God? How many times I am not FULLY committed to Him? The answer? More often than not. In the past eight years, since I realized I was just like the Kings of Israel and Judah, I've learned a lot. But, I still battle. My heart still isn't always fully committed to God. I pray for strength, and I press on.

Another interesting point in Solomon's prayer is that he prays that God turns their hearts to Him. I think of that, and the times that I pray for God to not let me stumble. That's good and well. However, we need to not continue to pray these things, but continue going down root-covered paths wearing our flip flops. We need to take action as well to become fully devoted to Him... to give Him our ALL.

Are you giving Him your all? Does He have all of your heart? Is it fully His? If not, what else receives your heart's attention? What do you need to let go of today?

We ponder these things. May the Lord give us the strength to let go. My our hearts be FULLY His.

Posted by Ben ><>

Sacred Marriage

2011-08-12T11:09:00.004-04:00

Recently, I was at Borders (at the big blow-out sale... can't believe they are going out of business... sad) and a very interesting book caught my eye entitled, "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas.

To purchase, click here

Not only did the title itself catch my eye, but check out what it says below the title, "What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?"

What?! The author dares to make this kind of statement in the world we live in today, where everything is made and used for our own personal happiness or fulfillment?

That said, I would (still) highly recommend this book to anyone married or even just considering marriage in the near or very distant future. There would be a great benefit to reading this before seriously considering a future spouse and an enduring commitment to marriage. This book provides a great outline of what marriage should be about before any expectations are set way too high. This way, there can be better preparation on the individual's level, and a better chance for a marriage that seeks after God's heart first, and not their own. However, the need for this reminder is true for whatever stage in a relationship you are in, whether dating, engaged, married for just a few years or married 50 years!

While I have not been able to read the whole book (I just got it a few days ago...), I would like to highlight and share some awesome quotes from the first chapter.

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"This is a book that looks at how we can use the challenges, joys, struggles, and celebrations of marriage to draw closer to God and to grow in Christian character."

"To spiritually benefit from marriage, we have to be honest. We have to look at our disappointments, own up to ugly attitudes, and confront our selfishness. We also have to rid ourselves of the notion that the difficulties of marriage can be overcome if we simply pray harder or learn a few simple principles. Most of us have discovered that these "simple steps" work only on a superficial level. Why is this? Because there's a deeper question that needs to be addressed beyond how we can 'improve' our marriage: What if God didn't design marriage to be 'easier'? ... What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? "

"But the idea that a marriage can survive on romance alone, or that romantic feelings are more important than any other consideration when choosing a spouse, has wrecked many a marital ship"

"Romantic love has no elasticity to it. It can never be stretched; it simply shatters. Mature love, the kind demanded of a good marriage, must stretch, as the sinful human condition is such that all of us bear conflicting emotions...This is the reality of the human heart, the inevitability of two sinful people pledging to live together, with all their faults, for the rest of their lives... But marriage reminds us of the daily reality of living as sinful human beings in a radically broken world."

"The real transforming work of marriage is the twenty-four-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week commitment. This is the crucible that grinds and shapes us into the character of Jesus Christ."

"Marriage calls us to an entirely new and selfless life."

"The key was that I had to change my view of marriage. If the purpose of marriage was simply to enjoy an infatuation and make me 'happy,' then I'd have to get a 'new' marriage every two or three years. But if I really wanted to see God transform me from the inside out, I'd need to concentrate on changing myself rather than on my changing my spouse."

"But what both of us crave more than anything else is to be intimately close to the God who made us. If that relationship is right, we won't make such severe demands on our marriage, asking each other, expecting each other, to compensate for spiritual emptiness."

"We need to remind ourselves of the ridiculousness of looking for something from other humans that only God can provide."

"I didn't decide to focus on changing myself so that I could have a tension-free marriage or so that I'd be happier or even more content in my marriage. Instead, I adopted the attitude that marriage is one of many life situations that help me to draw my sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment from God."

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So, what do you think? A lot to think about, that is for sure! I would encourage you to take time to read over the above quotes and maybe even consider purchasing the book. If you click below the picture above, it will take you to where the book is being sold at Amazon.

I strongly urge you to ponder these thoughts, share them with your married and non-married friends who are maybe considering marriage sometime in the distant or not-so-distant future. I believe firmly that it is better to be well-prepared rather than ill-prepared and greatly disappointed.

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

Jude 1:2

"To See the Unseen"

2011-08-11T11:20:00.003-04:00

He gives strength to those who are tired and more power to those who are weak. Isaiah 40:29

"An example of faith was found on the wall of a concentration camp. On it a prisoner had carved the words:

I believe in the sun, even though it doesn't shine.

I believe in love, even when it isn't shown.

I believe in God, even when he doesn't speak.

I try to imagine the person who etched those words. I try to envision his skeletal hand gripping the broken glass or stone that cut into the wall. I try to imagine his eyes squinting through the darkness as he carved each letter. What hand could have cut such a conviction? What eyes could have seen good in such horror?

There is only one answer: Eyes that chose to see the unseen."

Excerpt from He Still Moves Stones - Max Lucado

While attending college I had the privilege of hearing a testimony directly from a survivor of the holocaust (click here). The man that shared was Sam Guttesman and you can hear his story, as well as many others, shared in this video documentary done by WQED Pittsburgh (click here). His story reflected a similar kind of faith, even though he too had lost loved ones, was put through many trials, and was probably stretched more than most of us could ever imagine. However, like the one in the story above, he chose to use "eyes that chose to see the unseen."

Are we living with those type of eyes?

It is stories like these that call us away from ourselves and our often busy/cluttered schedules, and demand us to take as closer look at who we are and Who's we are, and if we are living in a way that reflects that realization in our lives.

The other day, the song "Find us Faithful" by Steven Green kept playing through my mind and I kept focusing on these words...

"May those who come behind us, faith us faithful!"

We know for a fact that those I shared about in this post (and many, many more) have gone before us and demonstrated godly lives for us! Think of the ones that you know of and the many that we can read about in God's Word.

Are we doing the same for those that come behind us? Are we living with eternity in our hearts or have we allowed our hearts and minds to become so captured by the culture that surrounds us, that we know longer know what it means to live as those who are/have been faithful...

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. - 1 John 2:15

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

"O may ALL who come behind us, find us faithful!"

"God has not give us a spirit of fear..."

2011-08-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

"God has not given us a spirit of fear,

God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but He has given unto us, a spirit of power,

a spirit of love, and a sound mind!"

These are the words to a simple song that my Grandmother taught me whenever I was younger to help me not only remember 2 Timothy 1:7, but to comfort me whenever I would have terrible nightmares. I do not know why, but as a child I tended to have a lot of nightmares. Even to this day I have issues with crazy dreams, nightmares on occasion, and other sleep issues. I have given it over to God and have learned to speak the Word of God into these situation. I will use scriptures like 2 Timothy 1:7 and/or speak the powerful name of Jesus against those fears, like I talked about in my previous post (click here to read), and at times it does get better. Praise God!

What's really exciting is that I get to share this testimony of how I have been taught to handle the fears in my life with a bunch of kids this weekend at the Dunkard Valley Live Music Festival in York, PA. I know... shameless plug, right? But, I couldn't help it! I am just that excited for what God is going to do through this festival! On both Saturday and Sunday we will be having a Kids Tent that will have crafts and games for any kids that show up at the festival and throughout games and crafts will be laced this theme of 2 Timothy 1:7. Pray that the message will be clear and comforting to the children that receive it!

I am also super excited about the music groups and speakers that are set to share with us, the craft vendors coming, the new sound crew, food, and the prayer tent!! So many exciting things happening this year!

A LOT of hard work and prayer have gone into the planning of this event and if you are in the York area and might be interested in coming and being a part of this exciting time, you can check out our website at www.dunkardvalleylive.com or you can email us dunkardvalleylive@gmail.com. Also, since I (Rhonda) am a member of the planning committee, feel free to post any questions you have here or email me at discipletojc@gmail.com

But most importantly, will you please plan to keep us in your prayers? With any event, and especially one like this, we desperately need it covered in prayer. Please ask God to not only bless the event, but to allow for great opportunities of outreach, where people can be encouraged in their faith or maybe even make a first time commitment. Thank you!

Do we believe it?! Really?!

2011-08-04T01:01:00.002-04:00

"By speaking God's Word, you can reveal wrong thinking and it will lose its power."

- Stormie Omartian from the book, The Power of a Praying Wife

When was the last time you really took God at His Word?

During a recent book study, it was brought to my attention (through the Holy Spirit's conviction while reading) that I tend to discredit the power that is found in God's Word. It could be for many reasons. It could be a lack of faith, trust, a feeling of being out of my comfort zone, a sense of feeling silly/awkward, and the list could go on and on. However, aren't all of those really just excuses?

"The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). Do I believe this? Really?

How often do we speak God's Word into not just our own lives, but into our friends and families lives through prayer or even in conversation with them?

Now stop and think about this... If we are not speaking God's Word into our own thoughts, let alone the thoughts of those we love and know, then what is being spoken into our/their hearts and minds?

Things like depression, anger, fear, rejection, loneliness, temptation, evil, and many diseases all begin in the mind. "These things can control your life unless you take control of your mind first. That's why God instructs us not to accept as truth everything we think. 'I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts' (Isaiah 65:2). He wants us to share His thoughts. 'We (who believe) have the mind of Christ' (1 Corinthians 2:16)." (Stormie Omartian) Do believe this? Really?!

If we do, then we should be praying powerful, faith filled prayers that proclaim the truth of God's Word in the lives of those we know and love and into our own lives as well. We need to pray with power against the workings of evil in our lives by claiming the promises of God with utmost faith and determination to "take every thought captive", just like God has called us to do in His Word (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). We need to pray with boldness, proclaiming that there is no room for fear in our lives or in the lives of our loved ones, because "God has not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

We need to believe with all our hearts that we do have a "great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16) That even though "Nothing in all of creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13) God still provided such an amazing great high priest to interceded on our behalf!

Do we know this? Have we taken time to get to know everything God has shared with us in His Word, so that we can prayer powerful prayers that reflect the heart of God for our lives?!

BUT, how can we claim these promises if we don't even know what they are because we do not take time to read them...

Here is a statement from Jim Elliot to ponder, which was in response to why he felt so called to mission work in Ecuador rather than in the United States... "I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish. What if the well-filled church in the homeland needs stirring?! They have the Scriptures, Moses, and the prophets, and a whole lot more. Their condemnation is written on their bank books and in the dust on their Bible covers."

Let's not allow the statement above to be true of us, rather, Lord, allow it to be the one below...

"Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word."

William D. Longstaff 1882

The sin of P.I.V.

2011-08-01T16:43:00.005-04:00

Have you ever had a time where God has convicted you of a sin you have been dealing with off and on, but it seems that your short-term memory always kicks in and the ability to recognize or remember that sin and what it looks like in your life seems impossible?

I know I run into this problem occasionally and one of those times happened recently. I can smile as I think back to the stinging conviction now, because I can see the uniqueness of the way God helped me to tackle the issue at hand. I can also see it as another example of how well He knows me, seeing me as one of his unique children that desperately needs His loving discipline and patience in very unique ways.

The conviction God brought to my attention was what I like to call "the sin of P.I.V." P.I.V. standing for Pride. Impatience. Vanity. I don't know about you, but I love to use abbreviations and acronyms to help me better remember important information. However, this was one of the first times God helped me to utilize it in this form, and as I look back on the process, I can see God's humor and love for me in the midst of the conviction. Through this process God brought several scriptures to mind, such as Romans 12:1-3 (to read the whole chapter click here) and the others being from 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (to read the whole chapter click here).

Romans 12: 1- 3

A Living Sacrifice to God

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authorityGod has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us"

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete."

The bold and italicized sections were the sections that really jumped out and spoke to me as I was wrestling with "the sin of P.I.V." and as I thought back on those scriptures, I came up with this understanding, by putting those areas in bold in this order... "demolish strongholds... take captive EVERY thought...but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think...Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us... this is truly the way to worship Him... because of all he has done for you."

Did you notice the message? We do need to change the way we think, take every thought captive, etc... but the question is, "Is that done by our own power or strength?" and "What is the motivation behind why we would even try to 'evaluate ourselves honestly'?" The answer: Let's take note of the last part that states, "...because of ALL HE has done for you..."

While I believe it is not good for us to live in condemnation, I do feel that our lives need to be open to conviction. God uses conviction in our lives to help us become more like Christ. Condemnation can drag us down and even separate from the knowledge and power of God's amazing grace and love, and is often a tool that Satan like to use against us.

So, what's your "sin of ___.___.___" that God is trying to help you with? Have you turned it over to Him or have you convinced yourself you can hide it, erase it, or maybe even get rid of it yourself? Or have you possibly allowed Satan to condemn you with it, by continually bringing it to your memory and never fully letting it go?

Friends, don't allow Satan to get a stronghold in your life, but allow Christ to come in and demolish those strongholds that are hindering your faith walk for you. He is the only one that can. He is waiting for you to come and kneel at His feet and turn it all over to Him and find rest for your weary soul. It is only after that action is taken that you can then go in the power of Christ and keep fighting the good fight. Maybe even by coming up with an acronym? haha Who knows... be creative, but most of all, don't do it on your own. It's impossible. And don't live in fear or condemnation. Know that Jesus has already won the battle and is running the race with us, cheering us on the whole way!

Romans 8:1, 2

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youfree from the law of sin and death."

Great Songs of Faith (Excerpt)

2011-07-30T01:27:00.004-04:00

*Today's post is taken from The One Year: Great Songs of Faith devotional book based on popular hymns that I recently purchased and absolutely love! It is very well done and I would highly recommend it. If you are interested in it, click on the title of this post and it should take you to Amazon, where the book is listed for purchase. I chose this post today because not only was it the devotional for today, but it also seemed to reflect how God has been helping me to better appreciate His handiwork in creation. An example would be the gorgeous sunrises I experienced while on vacation at the beach this week. (Click here to read the post about that experience).

Here is the devotional I chose from the book:

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Henry Van Dyke was serving as a guest preacher at Williams College in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. He was so moved by the beauty of God's creation that he wrote this hymn of joy. The next morning he handed the poem to the college president. "Here is a hymn for you," he said. "Your mountains were my inspiration. It must be sung to the music of Beethoven's 'Hymn to Joy.'" And so it has been ever since.

Van Dyke was a Presbyterian minister; the author of many books, including the best-selling The Other Wise Man; professor of literature at Princeton University; navy chaplain during World War I; and ambassador to Holland and Luxembourg under President Woodrow Wilson.

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! ... Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4, 6-7

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;

Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays,

stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise;

field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,

chanting bird and flowing fountain, call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou are giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,

Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!

Thou our Father, Christ our brother, all who live in love are Thine;

Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals join the might chorus, which the morning stars began;

Father love is reigning o'er us, brother love binds man to man.

Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife;

Joyful music leads us sunward in the triumph song of life.

Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933)

The Thing of the Day

Lyrical Friday

Forgetful

Guest Post: Larry Dentler (Wednesday's Word)

Lessons from the Refrigerator, Part II

Lessons from the Refrigerator, Part I

I'm Alive... Are You?

I Must Decrease

Prayer Stretch

10 Years

My Savior Died on a Tree...

Who are you?

Life is Unfair!

Lyrical Thursday

Prayer... when we feel like?! (Part 2)

Pray...when we feel like it?! (Part 1)

Hammer Holds

What does Jesus look like?/"Speaking the truth in love"

How Do I Look?

ALL...

Sacred Marriage

"To See the Unseen"

"God has not give us a spirit of fear..."

Do we believe it?! Really?!

Let's not allow the statement above to be true of us, rather, Lord, allow it to be the one below...

"Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word."

William D. Longstaff 1882

The sin of P.I.V.

Great Songs of Faith (Excerpt)

"Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word."